Partisan Politics Blocks Chances of San Joaquin River Settlement
By: By Rep. George Radanovich | Publication: Fresno Bee,
Nov 7, 2007 -
Nearly two years ago, I walked across the Capitol to meet
with Senator Feinstein, in a bipartisan manner, intent on restarting settlement
negotiations in the litigation between the National Resources Defense Council,
Friant Water Users Authority, and the Department of the Interior regarding the San
Joaquin River.
Federal Court Judge Lawrence Karlton was poised to rule on the case and gave
every indication that his ruling would be a disaster to the Friant Water
Users.
Without the Settlement, it is estimated that water users
stand to lose at least 35 percent of their water—or 452,000 acre feet.
The need to pass this Settlement has never been greater.
For two years, I worked tirelessly to make the Settlement a
bipartisan issue, being sure to include every party with a vested interest in
the river in the decision making process. Through these efforts in the
109th Congress, nearly all of the California
delegation, on both sides of the aisle, supported the Settlement
legislation. When the Democrats took control of this Congress, I
reintroduced the same piece of legislation, with the same bipartisan support.
Recognizing the change in the Majority of the Congress, I
have long been resigned to the fact that the bill I introduced would not be
passed, but rather the same legislation sponsored by a Democrat.
Unfortunately, the bipartisanship that once existed on this issue has vanished
due to foolish political games by the Democrat majority.
Rep. Jim Costa introduced a version of the San Joaquin River
Settlement, originally scheduled for markup today, which has bitterly pitted
Republicans against Democrats on an issue that they once agreed on.
Through partisan procedural gamesmanship, which has become a staple of this
Majority, and a PAYGO provision intentionally designed to repulse Republicans,
partisanship now exists where it should not.
The PAYGO provision included in the legislation attacks a
domestic oil and gas production program, making it nearly impossible for any
Republican, including myself, to support it. Further, the same program
has already been used by the Democrats three separate times this Congress as a
PAYGO provision, showing their determination to destroy domestic oil and gas
production—virtually ensuring a Presidential veto if passed.
Moreover, Republicans were not given the opportunity to see
the revised legislation until the day before the scheduled markup—once again,
breaking a promise of the Democrat leadership and Natural Resources Chairman
Rahall to move all bills through regular order.
Whether for personal edification or political gain,
Democrats have needlessly divided the support of this legislation, throwing two
years of bipartisan efforts down the drain in one fell swoop. The
Democrat leadership is either purposefully subverting the legislation to
promote partisan goals, or they are grossly ignorant of the political
consequences of their actions.
This legislation has gone from having the support of
Congressional Democrats and Republicans, settling parties and third parties,
and the Administration, to solitary partisan Democrat support. What
happened to the bipartisan pledge of this Majority? I urge my friends on
the other side of the aisle to stop the partisanship and start working on a
Settlement that everyone can support.
